


I Love You (I Swear I Do)

by annaxmims



Series: Tumblr Prompts [133]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Big Brother Judd Ryder, Established Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Established Relationship, Gun Violence, Hospitals, Judd Ryder & TK Strand Are Siblings, M/M, Mild Blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:47:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28531695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annaxmims/pseuds/annaxmims
Summary: Tumblr Prompt:Hey happy new year 🎉 can I ask for something happen to Carlos and TK say «I love you » for the first time, sad with a happy ending, please 🙏🏼
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Judd Ryder & TK Strand
Series: Tumblr Prompts [133]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1626286
Comments: 5
Kudos: 138





	I Love You (I Swear I Do)

TK was well aware of the dangers of Carlos’ job. It was part of the reason they worked so well. They both understood the hectic schedule of a first responder and the dangers that came with the job they both loved. However, that didn’t mean TK was completely okay with his boyfriend putting himself in the line of fire, just like Carlos wasn’t completely okay with TK running into burning buildings.

Usually, they could push down the feelings of impending doom and the fear they felt every time the other was in danger until they were home and could hold each other in the dark, kissing away tears and murmuring reassurances. However, it was hard for TK to compartmentalize when he was sitting in a hard, plastic hospital chair waiting on news from Carlos’ surgeon.

It should have been a relatively uneventful call. They were called to the scene of a car crash where someone had been hit while running from the cops after robbing a gas station.

Carlos wasn’t even the responding officer, he was only there for crowd control. Little did they know, one of the robber’s friends had gotten away and hid in the crowd. One minute TK was helping Judd load the guy into the back of the ambulance, the next he was crouching with his arms over his head, trying to figure out where the shot had come from.

Carlos’ partner had managed to get the guy in cuffs and kick his gun away, but the words he called out as he dragged the guy away would haunt TK forever.

“Officer down!”

TK had looked up and seen Carlos passed out on the concrete, gaping wound in his stomach.

Now he was in the hospital waiting room, eyes burning with tears he was struggling to hold back. 

He rubbed the palms of his hands against his uniform pants. He’d scrubbed them raw in the bathroom, trying to get Carlos’ blood off of his skin, but every time he looked down, he swore they were caked red again. He was pretty sure Carlos’ blood was somewhere on his uniform too, but he didn’t have the energy to stand up and change into the new clothes Owen had brought him. 

He stared at the clock, willing the minutes to go by faster, but he swore time was frozen. He was startled by a firm hand on the back of his neck.

“Come on kid, let’s take a walk,” Judd said, pushing him to stand up.

“I want to be here when Carlos gets out of surgery.”

“Gracie just talked to one of the nurses. He’s still in surgery, it will be another hour at least before he goes to recovery. We have time to walk around. You need some air.”

TK nodded and let Judd guide him out of the waiting room. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the doors opened and the cool air hit him.

He hadn’t been prepared for how warm fall would be in Texas, but as they crept closer to winter, the cool chill he was used to had started to break through the humidity of the Austin air. 

Judd leaned against the wall staring out at the sun that was starting to set. He didn’t force TK to speak, but he left the floor open when he was ready.

TK took slow, calming breaths before he looked at Judd, “Do you know what it’s like to fear for someone’s life every time they leave the house? Every day, Carlos gets up and goes to work even though what I want is to force him to stay inside with me. To lock the door so that we’re safe. But I don’t, because every day he comes back to me in one piece. But today he didn’t. He isn’t in one piece, he’s on an operating table with a hole in his stomach and I feel like I can’t breathe. I feel like his blood is still on my hands. I was on the ground, holding the blood inside of my boyfriend’s body and I don’t know how I move on from that.”

“You don’t.”

“What?”

“You can’t just forget every bad thing that ever happened to you. It doesn’t work that way. I used to wish that I could forget the factory explosion. I lost my entire team within a matter of minutes and I used to wish I could wipe that image from my brain. But I can’t and I had to accept that. You saved his life TK, believe it or not, that usually strengthens relationships in my experience. When he wakes up, he’s gonna be the same Carlos Reyes he was before he got shot. He’ll just have one more scar to add to his collection, and he’ll know that he’s still here because of you. You can’t think about what could have happened. You have to thank whatever God is out there that he’s still alive, and you hold onto him as tight as you can. I know you want to wrap each other in bubble wrap but you can’t. Getting hurt, getting your hands dirty, it’s part of being human, and as much as it sucks, you have to live with it. You’ll never forget what it felt like, holding his life in your hands, but you knight just appreciate his heart beat a little more now. Do you get what I’m saying?”

“Yeah, yeah I do. I just- I love him. I can’t lose him.”

“Have you ever said that out loud before?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“How does it feel?”

“Really fucking good.”

“Good,” Judd patted his back. “Go back inside, change your clothes, and wait on Carlos to wake up. And when he does, tell him what you just told me. After the day he’s had I’m sure he’ll be glad to hear it.”

TK nodded and reentered the hospital doors. He’d barely finished changing and joined his team in the waiting room when the surgeon emerged from behind the OR doors.

“Carlos Reyes family?”

“That’s us.”

“The surgery went well. We were able to remove the bullet with little trouble. Unfortunately, we did have to remove his appendix as it was ruptured by the velocity of the shot but other than that, he was very lucky.”

“Can we see him?” TK asked.

“Yes, only two at a time, please. He’s still pretty out of it so he may be in and out of sleep for the next few hours.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course. He’s in room 118 when you’re ready.”

“TK, you should go first,” Owen said.

“Okay.”

TK carefully opened the door to his room. Carlos was in the bed, hooked up to an IV. His eyes were open, but he looked a little spaced out.

“Hey baby,” TK approached the bed and gently took his hand.

“TK?”

“Yeah, it’s me. We keep ending up here huh?”

“Yeah. It’s no fun,” Carlos laughed at little, then winced when it pulled the stitches in his side.

“Oh, careful. How do you feel?”

“It hurts a little, but they gave me the good stuff. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m just really glad you’re okay. I love you, you know that right?”

“You do?”

“I do. I said it out loud for the first time about an hour ago and it’s probably the best sentence that’s ever left my mouth.”

“I love you too.”

“Good, because you’re not getting rid of me any time soon.”

“I’m okay with that.”

Carlos’ eyes drooped as he fought to stay awake. 

“Get some rest babe.”

“Stay?”

“I’m not going anywhere.”


End file.
